FROM OUR EXPERTS

Lyrica is used off-label by some doctors to treat back pain. By binding to the nerves that produce pain, Lyrica slows the flow of the pain signals in your body. While it can produce a good number of side effects it does have the substantial advantage of not being addictive. I don't know if it would be good for your particular kind of pain but it does sound like something you might want to bring up with your doctor.

In the meantime, here are some articles that you may be interested in.

I had severe lower back pain and shooting pain down my legs for about 2-3 years. For some time I could not walk without a cane. I had MRIs that could not find a reason for the pain. I had nerve conduction tests and many other tests that could not identify the problem. I have some loss of sensation in my feet, up to about my calves. I started Lyrica about a year and a half ago, and it has helped enormously. Sometimes I have pain, but it is manageable I have occasional shooting nerve pain, but that too is much better. I recently had to cut way back on Lyrica for a few weeks because of finances. At that time, the pain returned. Now, I am back on a higher dose with positive results.

My only concern is that I never had a clear diagnosis for the pain, loss of sensation, etc. So is the Lyrica just masking a problem that I should be concerned about, or could it be healing an unidentified problem?

It sounds like the ole siatic nerve problem. Also, having just scene a nerologist after suffering for two years with similar problems as you, I have been told I probably have soft tissue damage and some nerve damage due to a fall on on backside. Nothing showed up on my MRI, bone scan, or xray. I started using lyrica which may help slow down the pain. Only been on for about a week. Some relief but not total yet. Im on a very low dose so the doctor may up it to see if the relief is better. Hope my results are as good as you results.

I have the EXACT same issue! I was hurt at work and nothing (we tried many differant things!!!) My doctor recently prescribed lyrica 75mg 2xday and my pain has went from an 8 everyday to about a 3 everyday. Somedays I have no pain at all (well it seems) and other days when I drive for a long time 1-2hrs or do things I "shouldn't".

This to is what I am wondering. Is it only masking the problem? I'm around 11% permanent disabled. It makes me want to know. I'm certain it is never damage. And I'm glad that after 1.5yrs the pain is manageable!

I've been on for 5wks now. I was on 75mg 2x/day. and now am on 3x/day same mg. My doctors thought it was my siatic nerve and sacrum...hurt me worse when they stuck me w/ that needle!

Yes I saw immidiate results w/ it....my first week I was hopping on my leg! But then the 2nd and 3rd wks my pain returned, but wasn't as bad as before. We just upped it last week and I'm down to a 2pain and sometimes a 4 w/ long drives or when I over work myself.

Well was curious to see how it was working and if any side-effects. I was on neurotin and that made me so dizzy. Well if you have any comments or advice, thank you in advance.

Yes, it is only masking the problem, or at least telling your brain to turn off the pain receptors. There is no cure for nerve damage or soft tissue damage. As I have been told, your brain has rewired itself to thing you are in pain even if you are possibly not. These drugs help slow down the pain signals coming from your brain. As we age, for some reason, our body/brain does not create enough endorphines or whatever it is that our body uses to minimize pain. At least there are drugs out there to help with dealing with the pain.
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FROM OUR COMMUNITY

I am awaiting surgery for five collapsed vertebrates in my neck right now and before my surgeon put me on lyrica I was barely functioning. I had intense pain, I mean pain that brought tears to my eyes. Within 3 days I felt a change and within 5 days it brought tears to my eyes for all the good reasons. It was God sent, I am a believer.
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Yes, I have tried Lyrica for fibromyalgia and a lower back soft tissue/nerve damage due to a fall two years ago. The pain was almost gone but I started to have problems with my right arm going numb and extreme pain so I stopped the drug. Nerologist switched me to neurontin. He started me on 100 mg/3 times a day. I am now up to 500 mg/5 times a day and life is now wonderful compared to the past 2 years. Almost completely pain free with little if any side affects. I would try the Nuerontin first since it is much cheaper and coverted by most health plans as the generic gabapentin. Lyrica can be expense and is said to be almost 100 times stronger.

You wrote "the pain was almost gone but I started to have problems with my right arm and extreme pain". You had this extreme pain while on Lyrica? I ask you because i have fibromyalgia and since I started taking Lyrica - now 75mg twice a day - I've been having more pain. It has been increasing little by little and today it is really bad. How can this be? Has anybody else had this experience? Lyrica causes the pain

it helps out on nerve pain, I have had back surgery twice, was on a high does of oxcotion 80 mg 3 times a day, 30mg of roxcodine 6 tablet a day as needed for break through could not sleep at nite with the shooting pain going down my leg loesing control of my urine. but since my doc tried lyrica my leg pain gone away i dont worry any more wetting on myself. It has become my best freind i sleep great, lower my pain meds down to 10mg of methadone twice a day for the back pain and they tried a bunch of other nerve meds on me that were a joke i thought this was going to be the same,but it prove me wrong and my life has got better thanks too lyrica

I have had chronic back pain for 2 years. I had an mri which did show damage to L5 S1 discs, but no options for an operation. I have been using tylex and other pain killers with little success. In the last week my doctor put me on Lyrica and the difference is great. I would say give it a try if you are stuck trying to get pain free. I would say it has reduced my pain by 70 to 80%.

Hi, I have severe back pain that radiates around to my ribs. My ribs ache like crazy. At night I toss and turn about every 10 minutes because of the pain. I take 75 mg Lyrica for Fibromyalgia and it works pretty good. I upped my dose at bedtime last night to 150 mg and I don't think I moved once. I didn't have any pain at all. I believe it carries through pretty much the whole next day too.

You do have to be very careful about what you eat though because it does increase your appetite. When I first started taking it, I wasn't paying attention to that and gaind 25 pounds. Now I watch very carefully.

I'm going to try and only take that dose every couple of nights because it seems that you get used to it and it stops working and then you have to up the dose again. I don't want to do that.

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